The Assassin's Blade

The Assassin’s Blade collects five novellas following Celaena Sardothien in the years before Throne of Glass: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, The Assassin and the Healer, The Assassin and the Desert, The Assassin and the Underworld, and The Assassin and the Empire. Published together as a single volume in March 2014, they trace Celaena’s last jobs for the Assassin’s Guild — the ones that end with her in chains and bound for the salt mines.

In chronological order, The Assassin’s Blade is the first book in the series. Many readers save it for after Heir of Fire, where its emotional payoff hits hardest. Read first or read fourth — both orders have defenders.